"Verizon" - derived from the term "Veritas" - latin for "truth". But far from it.
In early Feb I signed up for Verizon's "Triple Freedom" plan during the promotional period which offered a FREE 19" LCD HD TV or $200 gift card for Best Buy. A comedy of errors ensued.
The following Monday, I received a confirmation email from Verizon. One error: it showed the 10/2 Internet Fios speed instead of 20/5 which I ordered.
A call to Verizon billing resulted in the rep stating, "Just tell your installer that you ordered the 20/5 plan and he'll set up your install that way."
Installer arrives about 10 days later and laughs, "I have nothing to do with your internet speed, that's set by the billing dept." Also, he says, "Now, you ordered Fios Internet and phone, right?" Wrong, I ordered the Triple plan which includes TV. He makes some calls. "I have bad news, good news, bad news and good news."
The Fios cable the tech laid yesterday is defective. Good news: I have a fiber optic cable I can lay on the ground to get you going. Later, an installer will come to bury it." Bad news: Verizon lost your TV order. Good news: I'll make some calls and have an installer come out tomorrow to take care of it (Sunday!)
Sunday, I was home all day, nobody showed up. Monday, I call Verizon to check on the status of my TV order. Also relay the fact that my Internet speed in incorrect, should be 20/5. Promises that it would be corrected. I tell them I am only home on Saturdays, to set me up for the next available Saturday. Confirmation recieved.
Next Saturday arrives. Nobidy shows up all day. Next Monday I call (still mid Feb.)."Sir, we have you set up for TV install the day after tomorrow, Wed." Wrongo, I specified Saturday. I set up another install date for TV the next possible Saturday (late Feb.)
I am told that due to my installation problems, I will be given FREE for one month, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax & Sports package. Cool deal. I say ok. They say, just cancel before the month is over so you won't be charged for the next month.
In the meantime, I make several calls to Verizon billing, tech support and "retention" dept (Tanya) to confirm that I am still elligible for the free TV promotion. I receive assurance that the offer does not end until the last day of Feb.
First week of March arrives, TV installer comes out and sets me up for TV (I was told two set boxes were included in the plan, but find out that they are actually an extra $5 a month.) Ok, I'll go for that.
Still, my Internet speed is 10/2. I spend my entire lunch hour and work, and longer, on the phone with Verizon billing on a Wed. I am told that by 5pm Thursday, my Internet speed would be correct.
Thursday rolls around, no correction. Friday, no correction. More calls next week to Verizon. Apologies, etc.
In the meantime, I've receive my first bill. Over $200. It was supposed to be $115 plus taxes. I've been charged for the month of the movie and sports package which was offered for free, and in addition to the next full month, a partial month of the full Triple freedom plan, during which that period I only had Internet and phone, no TV.
More calls to Verizon billing to correct the error, credit issued and informed of how much to pay on the bill.
April arrives, still no arrival of HD TV. Next bill comes, over $200 again. Charges for partial month (when I already paid for the full month.) More calls to billing (Valerie) who admits I was charged for overlapping dates. Credit received. More of my lunch hour wasted. During this call, I inform billing that I still have not received my free HD TV. I'm told, I'll transfer you to promotions to check to see if you're in the database. I say, "Valerie, I'm 10 minutes late on my lunch hour now, please check for me and call me back at my home number as to the status."
Next day, I have a voice mail. "Sir, your account qualifies you for a $100 gift card from Circuit City." Wrongo. Next day I call billing dept back, very frustrated.
I signed up in Feb. During the free 19" TV promotion, or $200 gift card from Best Buy. I did a Google search on the web for "Verizon HD TV offer and find thousands of hits from disgruntled Verizon customers who signed up in 2007 and still had not received their promotion. Also, a hit from a top exec of Verizon stating that "due to overwhelming response, the Sharp TVs ran out and they had to switch to Magnavox TV's and that EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE FIOS TRIPLE FREEDOM PLAN DIRING THE PROMOTION PERIOD WILL RECEIVE THEIR TV OR $200 GIFT CARD."
I call Verizon billing back, now at the end of my rope. I tell Rebekah that I will not settle for a $100 gift card from Circuit City. I can't get an 19 wide screen LCD HD TV for that cost and Circuit City doesn't sell digital Cameras (now the current offer from Verizon.)
More apoligies and promises to check with the promotions dept. More of my lunch hour wasted, plus 15 minutes. I tell her to call my home number and tell me what she finds.
I get home that day, and the message is: Your account qualifies you for a $100 gift card from Circuit City."
Monday I plan to call Verizon AGAIN. This reeks of a class action lawsuit. Thousands of customer who signed up during the promotional period are getting the runaround. I see mobs of people on the streets of Tampa in front of the Verizon office on my way to work, protesting, "Honk for better Verizon service."
To me, this is a breach of my 2 year contract by Verizon. It's deceptive trade practice, otherwise known as "Bait and Switch."
If I continue to be denied what is legally due to me, I will contact local TV networks' consumer lawyers such as Tampa's Channel 8 "Eight on your side" and others.
Hell hath no fury like a customer defrauded. I posted this on the Verizon Community discussion website in the category of "Opinions and Feedback" of Verizon FiOS service and within a day they had deleted the posting and blocked my login from being able to make further postings! All without being notified.
Defrauded
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.
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